


Secret

by nerdypipsqueak



Series: Fictober 2019 [18]
Category: A Dangerous Man: Lawrence After Arabia (1990), Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Genre: Fictober 2019, Gen, Gossip, Homophobic Language, Period-Typical Homophobia, discussion of feisal/lawrence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-20
Updated: 2019-10-20
Packaged: 2020-12-31 06:31:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21099689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdypipsqueak/pseuds/nerdypipsqueak
Summary: Fictober prompt: “Secrets? I love secrets.”Set in the "My Soul and Yours" universe.





	Secret

"Can I tell you a secret?" Mr Vickery asks, peering at Kathleen over the rim of his teacup.

"Of course. I love secrets."

"I bloody hate Lawrence..."

"That's no secret, Mr Vickery. Everybody knows you have no sympathy for Mr Lawrence."

"He's a pompous, overrated, overconfident prat." Vickery spits out. Kathleen instinctively leans back a little. "He reminds me of those fussy little dogs women seem to like nowadays, all bark and no bite."

"I prefer big dogs." 

"Good, a big dog is a proper dog, anything smaller than a corgi is a toy. But, I digress. Would you like to know a secret?"

"Mr Vickery, you know I love secrets."

"Would you like to know why the Arabs never talk about Lawrence?"

"Oh? Yes, of course."

"It's because he's sleeping with Lord Feisal. He's, you know, a... royal mistress, if you will." Vickery hisses like he's afraid someone's eavesdropping. 

"Dear God! Mr Vickery, I must object. Lawrence can barely stand to shake hands with me, he shudders at the slightest touch. There is no way he could possibly allow anyone..."

"You think so? Well, you weren't there, you didn't witness the things I did. I saw them, you know. Him and Feisal."

"Really?!"

"Yes, in Akaba, at this abandoned infirmary, they thought nobody could see them because they were at the side of the building that was not facing the town. Feisal had him up against the wall like a common whore..."

"That's enough, Mr Vickery!"

"Lawrence isn't who you think he is. He acts like he's God's gift to humanity but the ugly truth is that he's nothing but a fraud, a sodomite and a whore. Mark my words."

"Mr Vickery called by." Kathleen says casually as she arranges Lawrence's long decorative sleeve along the side of his chair.

"I remember him." Lawrence tenses up briefly when her hand brushes over his wrist. "He doesn't like me and I daresay the feeling is mutual."

"He has a lot to say about you."

"I'm sure he does."

"He said you're sleeping with Prince Feisal."

"WHAT?!" Kathleen's never heard Lawrence raise his voice before. It's an incredibly harsh and startling sound. The man's pacing around the chair now, circling it nervously. The air in the room vibrates with shock, anger, distress.

"He said he saw you with Feisal." Kathleen blunders on. "That he had you... up against a wall? He was being very impolite, I'm so sorry."

Lawrence stops dead in his tracks. "He said he saw us?"

"Yes. And that you were doing it by a wall."

Lawrence laughs. "That fool thinks I was... with Feisal... against a wall?! I don't even know what to say. I mean, we were both fully clothed and it was just a kiss..."

"Just a kiss?! Are you saying that you and Feisal...?"

"Yes. But you can never tell anyone. Can you promise me that?"

"Yes, of course. You know I love secrets and your secret is safe with me."

"Thank you." Lawrence sits back down, carefully arranging his robe around him. 

**Author's Note:**

> Mr Vickery served with Lawrence in the Middle East (I believe he is even mentioned in Seven Pillars of Wisdom). It was no big secret that Vickery hated Lawrence's guts but I was quite surprised when I recently found out he was spreading rumours about him.  
Lady Kathleen Scott (who sculpted a really cute little sculpture of Lawrence) wrote about those rumours in her diary and specifically mentioned Vickery using the term "royal mistress". Apparently Lady Scott confronted Lawrence about the rumours and he admitted to her that he was homosexual. Some researchers believe he only said that because he realized that she was developing feelings for him and wanted to drive her away but personally I believe he may have actually trusted her enough to come clean about his sexuality. Also, it seems highly unlikely to me that a man in 1920s Britain would tell a woman he's gay in order to avoid a relationship.  
I read about the Vickery situation here in the 3-part article on Lawrence's sexuality: http://www.maartenschild.com/lawrence/?page_id=19  
The situation described by Vickery (what appeared to be wall sex between Feisal and Lawrence) is fiction and a reference to my story "Mine".


End file.
